Every Little Thing
by mialuv998
Summary: Do you feel it? Every little thing between you and me. Good and bad, happy or sad. Its all in the way we could be... Series of Shika/Hina drabbles.
1. Chapter 1

-1_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Naruto._

_**A/N:**_ series of Shika/Hina drabbles.

**Every Little Thing**

#64: Watching

It was a steady rhythm, one she matched perfectly with the bump and sway of her hips. Those perfectly proportioned hips she usually concealed beneath the horrid piece of clothing she called a jacket. Her dance, likened to a priestess beckoning her god, provocative and passionate. Her dark hair jittered and swayed with each bounce and grind of her body.

This…certainly wasn't what he expected when coming to check up on Kurenai-sensei. Though he could hardly deny he enjoyed it. It wasn't everyday one got to see the Hyuuga Heiress footloose and fancy-free in a small compact kitchen.

The music playing over the radio slowed briefly, allowing for its intensity to build in that moment. He movements turned her just slightly and he caught a glimpse of her profile in the muted light leaking into the kitchen through the covered window situated behind the sink. She ran her hands provocatively down her curvaceous form. One such hand skimmed between the slopes of her bust.

Shikamaru's breath hissed between his clenched teeth. His body proving he was, indeed, of the male gender. It was then that her writhing form stilled. Thinking fast, he dove for cover, his mind turning over one excuse after another as the music cut off and footsteps padded slowly towards the room.

"Oh!" Hinata gasped behind his turned back. "Shikamaru-san. I-I didn't know you were here."

He glanced sideways at her. Only her face peaked through the doorway, a heavy tinting of pink splashed across her cheeks and nose.

"Yo Hinata!" He raised a hand in greeting and faked a wince

"I-Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Nah," He said screwing a smile up into a grimace as he limped to an available seat. "I just stubbed my toe on the corner by the door is all. I'll be fine. What are you up too? I thought I heard the radio playing when I came in."

"N-nothing." She said, her gaze drifting to her feet. "I was just finishing up the dishes."

A long stretch of silence permeated the room, then she turned and headed back into the kitchen. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, all momentary tension easing from his shoulders.

"Troublesome." He muttered, gathering himself back to his feet. Then wondered how one could coax a certain Hyuuga out her jacket permanently…


	2. 128:Troublesome Blondes

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto._

**Every Little Thing**

_#128: Troublesome Blondes_

She really wasn't the kind of person he saw himself seeking out. Hell, it wasn't like they were very familiar with each other to begin with. Any association he had with her was purely in passing. But, Shikamaru reasoned with himself-his hand poised before the door in hesitation, it was those precise things which had led him here to being with.

Only recently had he become better acquainted with the Hyuuga Heiress. Though really, the only thing changed in their 'relationship' was the frequency with which they spoke, the form-pleasantries and polite conversation-remained the same. Never mind she barely looked at him when he was in proximity to her.

He groaned, lowering his hand. He'd at least hoped he'd be able to broach the subject matter with relative ease. Now he wasn't so sure. He took a step back, hesitating in the motion to turn around and leave so he could think of an alternative game plan, or resort to consulting with Ino.

He cringed outwardly. That's the one thing he _did not_ want to do. He didn't want to even imagine how that conversation would go. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head, fingers bristling against the bushy brown ponytail, neither facing or looking away from the door.

Why did this have to be so damn hard? In battle he could come up with a dozen or more plans guaranteed to succeed, but when it came to the opposite gender any plan he came up with was doomed to failure. Damn troublesome blondes. Why was it always the blonde ones anyways? Hinata with her dark, almost inky, locks was the furthest thing from trouble. Never had he seen her kick up a fuss.

Then again when had he really seen Hinata do much of anything besides gush over Naruto?

He thumped his foot lightly against the wall in his inner frustration. His mind continued to run around in circles as he tried to think out his problems, and somewhere in the middle of all this thinking he failed no notice one little thing. At least until he felt a light touch on his shoulder.

He stumbled back a couple of feet, his eyes wide in surprise as he turned back towards the door. Hinata stood there in the doorway, the door opened wide enough behind her for him to see Yuuhi Kurenai not far behind her.

"O-Ohayou-gozaimasu, S-Shikamaru-san." She spoke softly, almost breathless, her head bent in a slight bow as she greeted him. He could only imagine how he looked standing out in the hall as he was.

He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, smiling in a huge way as he tried to recover his slighted pride and composure. "Ohayou Hinata-chan." He almost grimaced when a dusting of pink spread over her cheeks and graced the tip of her nose.

--

She didn't understand why her heart fluttered just by seeing him in the hall. His face was almost a blank sheet, save for the deep worry lines etching into his brow. For anyone else she might have been worried, but for Nara Shikamaru such worry was common place.

"Shikamaru-san." Hinata breathed as soon as the wind came running back into her lungs. Her own brow furrowed in dismay as he continued to study the wall off to the side. Maybe he hadn't heard her. "Shikamaru-san!" Her voice a good deal louder.

Still nothing. A soft tread of foot falls came up behind her. "What's the matter Hinata?" Kurenai-sensei asked as she peeked passed the open door. "Oh! Shikamaru!" She said, then offered with a questioning whisper. "What's wrong with him?"

Hinata glanced back at her former teacher, shaking her head. "I'm not sure. He looks like he's thinking."

Kurenai chewed momentarily on her bottom lip as she thought. "Try shaking him. I remember Asuma saying how he-Shikamaru I mean-would get so lost in thought Asuma would have to jolt him out of it."

"Hai," Hinata turned her attention back to the shadow manipulator. He sighed heavily, folding his arms across his chest and muttering something about 'Troublesome Blondes', but still had yet to notice the two females behind him. She was drawn between amusement and dismay. Amused at how absolutely absorbed he was in his own thoughts; dismayed in she'd have to be the one to drawn him from them.

Her hand shuddered as she reached out to him. Her fingers less than an inch from his shoulder, pulled back in brief hesitation, only to brush against his shoulder from the action. Her heart thundered in startled surprise as he stumbled back and looked at the two of them in confusion.

"O-Ohayou-gozaimasu, S-Shikamaru-san." She tilted her head in acknowledgment and to calm the wave of heat climbing up her neck as he continued to stare at her in surprise.

He quickly composed himself, brushing his hand along the back of his head with a wide, if unexpected, smile. "Ohayou Hinata-chan." That was all it took. Her back stiffened, her face washed over with warmth.

"Ano…S-Shikamaru-san…I-Is there…s-something y-you needed?" She asked, staggering back a half step.

--

Something inside Shikamaru stilled when he finally took the time to look at Hinata. Odd how he couldn't quite place what _it_ was exactly. Let alone whether it was good or bad. Her pink blush continued to darken the longer he studied her, offsetting the pale lavender of her eyes by startling degree's.

Somewhere in the middle of trying to speak and executing the process, Shikamaru's thought processes stopped. His mouth opened and closed over and over again as he struggled to recall even the simplest thing. And, still, he continued to stare at the Heiress, who-in turn-continued to inch further away.

"Shikamaru," Kurenai spoke from her place at the door. "What are you here for? Nothing's happened has it?"

His gaze snapped towards the older woman. "Huh?" He asked, momentarily confused. "Oh, no I just came by to see how you were doing."

Kurenai smiled at him while Hinata tried to slip back into the apartment without undue notice. "Wonderful. We welcome the company." She thought she was in the clear, then Kurenai continued to speak. "Hinata just finished making cookies. You should try some their all warm and gooey."

"Really? Are they any good?"

"Oh you have no idea." He barely got little more than a word out before she pulled him in to the apartment and pushed him towards the table, forcing him to kneel down.

Funny enough, even though he came here to discus 'Troublesome Blondes', he left realizing one thing. Hyuuga Hinata was quite possibly the only sane woman he knew, and hair color probably had nothing to do with it. Though, this was before he learned of Hinata's own blonde troubles.


	3. 43: Strategist

-1_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Naruto._

**Every Little Thing**

_#43: Strategist_

_She's doing it again. _

Shikamaru groaned, his face warming to light pink as he took to gazing at some random object in the distance. Anything was better than keeping his eyes locked on to that face. That…undeniably cute…oh so adorable…face. His face pinked up a bit more as he glanced back at her. She worked her teeth over her bottom lip, her brow furrowed for all he could see of it under the heavy fringe of bangs almost sweeping in her eyes.

She was hunched so far over the game board it took some really steady looking to identify her face behind the ribbons of inky hair acting as a curtain between her face and his eyes. Her own eyes, usually a pale lavender, now darken considerably as they continued to look over the board, their rapid movements back and forth indicating the level of thinking she was doing.

He looked away again, smiling. Never had he seen anyone so intent on making one simple decision. This was checkers they were playing, not something as complicated as Go or Shogi, or even Mahjong, where strategy could go a long way to helping. There were really only so many moves she could make. So what was there to really think about?

His smile widened when he heard the soft click on the board when she made her move. When he glanced down he shook his head and chuckled, jumping and taking the piece she'd just moved. Then smiled across the board at her. "Your over thinking this Hinata. This isn't Shogi or Go."

She returned his look with one of her own. Her smile widened and her eyes crinkled at the corners as she tilted her head with a soft laugh. Then without breaking her gaze she moved. _Click. Click. Click._

_What the hell?_

He looked down and saw what his eyes had previously missed. The trap she'd steadily lead him too. She'd managed capture three of his pieces. He glanced back up at her, and noticed one other thing. The crinkle in her eyes he'd previously noted was actually Hinata cleverly disguising her Byakugan, which he had no doubt she'd been using to read his movements better than she could have done with her naked eye.

His jaw dropped in disbelieve. "No way!" Then he closed his mouth tight, settling back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest, grumbling. Hinata chuckled softly. "I can't believe my own girlfriend just cheated me at a game of checkers. Th-that's dirty…and underhanded."

Her smile widened. "Wanna see all the other dirty and underhanded things I can do?" She asked in soft throaty voice.

His mouth tilted up in a smirk. "You have to ask?"


	4. 127: Weather Under the gray skies

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto._

**A/N:** Thanks go out to all who have been keeping up with this. I had a hard time narrowing down the theme for this one. There really are a few things that could apply here, but I had to go with the one that just seemed to keep popping up. I originally didn't see this going in this direction, but I do like the way it turned out. I even gave it a title. Thank you all, again.

**Every Little Thing**

_#127: Weather_

**Under the gray skies**

It was in the tilt of his head and sad slant of his closed eyes. The pain behind the heavy water laden lashes so obvious even in the shower of rain. No one's shoulders drooped like that with indifference or peacefulness. Even though he was more of stranger to her than most others in their group, Hinata just couldn't walk away from him.

Too many times she'd seen him come to this very place, his pain visibly crushing his body. She'd long suspected this was where he came when his grief was too much to handle. Only in these past few weeks had she been able to confirm it.

Kurenai-sensei approached her around then with a simple request. _"Please, could you look after him. Shikamaru isn't the type of person to share such things with others, but I can't help but think if it was you…then__-__just maybe…"_ She hadn't continued after that, but her meaning wasn't lost. Maybe, with someone who could understand, but wasn't too close. After all, it is always easier to speak freely with a stranger than some one you knew.

Today was the fifth time she'd found him here. The single slate stone standing as memorial to every Shinobi fallen in the name of the village: The Stone of Heroes. Its surface littered with a vast array of engraved names, glistened with the gray light reflecting off its water soaked planes.

It was starting to become a ritual, not only for him, but for her as well. She couldn't see it going on forever though, she wasn't good enough to carry on like this for a prolonged period of time. Luck was with her to make it this long, but not for much longer.

It was almost too cold to be out here. The biting chill of fall already creeping into the air, adding to the chill already creeping across her rain soaked skin. It took all her will not divulge in the shivers continuously creeping up her spine. She'd pay for this later, as she was quite sure Shikamaru would be as well.

She sniffed softly, a tickle wiggling its way up her nose. She tried every thing to keep it from happening, but in the end the most she could do was cup her hands over mouth and nose and try to muffle the sound with the tree she hide behind. Still the sound seemed to travel and echo in the water suppressed silence.

"A-CHOO!"

She grimaced into her hands, wishing she'd brought a handkerchief. "Blast it all!" Her voice sharp as she grumbled under her breath.

"Having a problem?"

She jumped, pivoting on her feet and shoving her back against the tree in surprise. "Shikamaru-san! I-I didn't know you were here." She mentally crossed her fingers, praying he'd believe her.

"Really?" His dark eyes narrowed on her. Of course he wasn't going to fall for an excuse as lame as that. He's a freaking genius, how could he not see right through that? "So you always hide behind trees when you come here?"

Her head lowered in shame, her thumbs rolling together and fingers twitching with nervousness. "I-I…Uh-"

"Yeah, ok." He said, dismissing her efforts to come up with a believable lie. One hand touched the back of his head, mussing the dark hair matted to his skull until it fluffed up into the familiar spiky bush, the other dug deep into his pants pocket. Despite his previous stance, he looked entirely unaffected by steady fall of rain. "Don't worry about it. You look like you're one cold shower away from getting Hypothermia. You need to get inside and dry off. We can go to my place and dry off and you can tell me why you were spying on me."

She tried to take a step forward, but the minute her foot touched the ground her knees buckled and she began to fall. In quick fashion, he'd looped an arm around her and hoisted her up, her feet barely touching the ground. Her whole right side leaned into him for support, her arms dangling limp like a rag doll fresh out the water.

"Jeez…" He sighed. "Why are girls always so troublesome?"

"Gomen, Shikamaru-san." Her own voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't mean to trouble you."

In the gray light she saw a smile, even if it was a bit small, as he shook his head. "From you, I don't mind so much." He grunted, trying to maneuver her to a firm standing position. "Can you stand or should I just carry you?"

She shook her head. "I-I c-can't s-stand." She stammered, her face hot and red from their proximity, despite the obvious chill penetrating the rest of her body.

In a single motion he'd maneuvered her to his back, allowing her arms to slip and hold around his shoulders, her face resting in the curve where shoulder and neck met. "Hold on as tight as you can." He said, his own hands holding her legs firm to his sides.

Shikamaru shivered, all too aware of the heat on his back and the warm breath feathering against his ear. This was not how he'd seen his day going, but he wasn't complaining. And maybe that's what disturbed him most.


	5. 15:BandAid

-1_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Naruto._

**Every Little Thing**

_#15: Band-Aid_

It was in the touch of her hand. The graze of her fingers against his wrist. Only a moment of contact sending a storm of sensations shooting up his arm, and a whirlwind of emotion stirring in his chest. On the inside he crumbled; on the outside there was only the briefest flicker of his eyes watching as she moved.

In all the years of his short life he never thought to be so infatuated with some one so unassuming. Even worse, he never thought he'd look at _her_ like this. She was a far cry from the attention begging girls he usually associated with. Ino, Temari, his mother. Even Sakura and TenTen were more noticeable and loud by comparison.

So how had he come by these troublesome realizations? He'd been aware of her presence since early academy, but only because his mother had been more than surprised a Hyuuga was attending, and the clan Heiress at that. Allowing himself a brief glance at her turned back, he recalled the first impression he'd ever had of her. A small timid girl, so close to tears as she slipped into the unfamiliar building.

At the time he'd felt a bit sorry for her. Everyone else had someone there with them to see them off as they rushed inside, eager to begin their lessons. Everyone except her. She walked slowly, her hand skimming along the hallway walls, head bent low, her gaze most likely fixated on her shuffling feet. The one thing that stuck out most when remembering the day was the smile she gave him when they were seat next to each other in class.

For a week after he dreamed of that smile. A slight tilt of her head and a small, simple smile, tight with nervousness. At the time he could only think of how cute she was. Now, to look at her, all could think was how beautiful she was. A wave of warmth washed over his face. His brief crush years ago did nothing to explain the here and now.

Then again, 'Proximity breeds familiarity', and he'd certainly been keeping a close proximity to her for the past few months. Close enough to notice the slenderness of her hands, the light fragrance of vanilla and oranges wafting off her person, her habit of chewing on her lower lip when concentrating on a task, and the way her breath smelled like lemon and honey--the usual additives to her tea, sometimes with a hint of strawberries (her favorite fruit). There was also the softness of her voice when she laughed, the way her long dark hair seemed to crept over her shoulder without her noticing until it got in her way.

Still none of these seemed a likely reason on his infatuation. He glanced up when her hand touched his shoulder. Her head tilted at a slight angle, a small warm smile lifting the corners of her mouth, and pale lavender eyes crinkled up at the sides as she looked down at him.

"Shikamaru-kun," Her voice light and familiar. "Would you please let me see your arm again? I found a jar of balm I gave Kurenai-sensei and bandages." She took a seat next to him, taking the arm he offered her. "It probably won't do much, but it will keep it from getting an infection before having someone else look at it."

He smiled in a big way, watching her eyes focused on the gash slicing up his forearm with all do intent, her teeth starting to work over her bottom lip. Only then did he understand. This was why he liked her so much. When she talked it was with him instead of at him. This brief pause in their conversation wasn't just so she could catch her breath, it was so he could interject his thoughts and words she'd actually listen too and call later on.

It was the same with the way she looked at him, her eyes wouldn't look through him or past him, but at him. She found him interesting. He knew this because she'd told him not long ago. It was in the same conversation when he also found out she thought he was amusing, intelligent, and witty. Oh, and cute too.

His breath sucked in sharply through clenched teeth as she finished cleaning his wound and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. Bringing it up to her face, her warm breath feathered out gently, quickly drying the area before she began applying the balm. His skin shivered from her touch, Goosebumps rising where her breath touched.

She glanced up at him, a smile dancing in her eyes, then dying as her body stilled. He couldn't look away from her, he didn't want too. Then the door to Kurenai's apartment slammed open as Kiba and Naruto came striding in.

"Hey Nara!" Kiba barked as he entered. "Are you going to stay in here all day and let Hinata baby you? Or are you going to get your lazy ass back outside so we can finish what we started?"


	6. 29:Princess, 81:Knight

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto._

**Every Little Thing**

_#29:Princess(Hime), #81: Knight_

Every breath was like a little death. The harsh intake rasped on parched lips, wheezing with each choking sob. What pain could be greater than this? Every piece of him lost in the drops of rain as he watched her walk away. Almost like a ghost, blurring and disappearing in the down pour. How could he defy what was to be? She wasn't his. She never had been.

So why did it hurt this much? Why did his body scream against the sudden chill consuming his body?

_How far would you go for the one you loved?_

He should've know what she was asking him. But the heart is blind and he so wanted to believe they would always be together no matter what. Now he knew better. How could she, of all people, invade his heart like she had. Where were his words now when his most precious thing was being ripped from him?

_Hinata._

He couldn't even speak her name. What sort of Knight was he now? A failed Knight. A coward too scared to fight when he knew he should. The memory of her face as she stood there in the rain would haunt him forever.

_I am too be married, tomorrow, without fail._

He turned away from the door, closing it softly behind him, and shuffled into the kitchen. Chouji waited there, his arm fold thoughtfully over his barrel of a chest, a half eaten apple dangling from his hand.

"So you are going to go after her, right?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I've never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her. And I've never seen her look at anyone the way she looks at you." He took a bite out of his apple. "And there is no way you could call yourself a Knight if you didn't go and rescue the Princess from the fate she so badly wants to avoid."

"But what if I'm the one who needs rescuing?" Shikamaru whispered.

"Then give her the chance to rescue you." He glanced over at Chouji, noting the knowing half smile he wore.

He paused for a second, milling over those words, then pivoted on his feet and dashed from the room out of the house. Blindly searching for her elusive form in the driving rain. She couldn't have gotten far.

He called out for her. "Hinata! Hinata!" His feet pounded on the slick ground, splashing his trousers in a spray of water each time. Then he saw her. Her ghostly silhouette taking form in the rain, clearing and sharpening the closer he came to her. "Hinata!"

No response, just the blind dragging steps muffled by the watered ground. She either didn't hear him-too caught up in her own thoughts, or ignored him-too upset too care. So, without any real thought on the matter, he continued to run after her and brought her to a halt by caging her in his arms.

She gasped and cried out in alarm, too shocked to do anything beyond the slight protest, which really wasn't a protest at all.

"Hinata," He said. "I won't let you do it. I won't let you get married."

"And why would you stop me?"

"Because-Because I couldn't very well call myself a Knight if I didn't save the Princess asking me to save her. Because I wouldn't be able to look at anyone the same way I look at you." He paused. The slow release of his breath warming the spot between the peak of her shoulder and neck. "Because I'll never be able to love someone the way I love you, no matter how wrong it is. Because in my mind you will always belong to-"

The last of his words were cut off by the sudden press of her lips against his. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it ended with her pale eyes looking into his. "And the Knight rescue's the Princess?"

He pulled away from her, his face blushing in spite of the cold rain. "Well yeah. But only on one condition."

"And that would be?"

"If she'll rescue him in return."

She smiled in a big way. "I think we can arrange that."


	7. 102: Fitting in, 132: Vulerability

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto._

**A/N:** Almost 1,000 hits and only 12 reviews. sigh so depressing… This next chapter was a bit of inspiration and writing it I knew I'd be having a few later chapters continuing this story line.

**Every Little Thing**

_#102: fitting in, #132: vulnerability_

The soft padding of feet on heavy wooden planks was almost drowned out by the drum of rain steadily falling on the roof overhead. It wasn't the most inviting of weather, but it was much more inviting than the intrusion back at the tiny apartment. What would normally be a quiet, peaceful evening turned into what she would equate to an animated circus.

She sighed. The tight ball of sadness settling in her heart as she halted. Her gaze flickered out to the side of the covered bridge, fixating on the rain. Hinata knew she should go home. It wasn't good to be out in this, but no one knew she was out here. She'd slipped out the door the moment Kiba and Ino started going for each others throats over a simple game.

She walked over to the railing, leaning heavily into it. Her head dipped forward, strings of dark inky hair, damp and dripping, brushed against her cheeks. The rush of the water below mixed with the pitter-patter or rain. A feeling of complete isolation swept over her. Her mouth trembled, forcing itself down into a frown.

She closed her eyes, fighting against the sudden flood of anger and tears. Alone,…in a room full of people she'd felt entirely alone and forgotten. That place, the home she'd built with her team, with her friends, her family…and she'd felt entirely alone. And it was all because of _him_.

Rationally she knew it wasn't really his fault. Since the day he first stepped foot into the apartment she'd only seen his presence as an intrusion. Hostility seemed to seep from her very being the moment he was within the vicinity.

She folded her arms over the railing, resting her head in their cradle. Then she heard the heavy tread of feet behind her. The sound of it boasted an unconventional laziness. The slow, deliberate dragging of feet, followed by a heavy thump every so often when one foot managed to break contact with the ground. It was _him_. No one else was that lazy.

She snapped to attention, body and limbs tense with pent-up anxiety. Her gaze locked onto the rain, trying to ignore his presence. Maybe if she didn't acknowledge him, he wouldn't acknowledge her.

"Oi!" He shouted out to her. "Hinata!" No such luck. Her eyes closed briefly, deliberating whether or not she should answer, but years of propriety and etiquette demanded she be accommodating.

"Ohayou Nara-san." she voiced in a near whisper, her body still maintaining its outward vigilance.

He scoffed-at her! "Are you always so formal Hinata? Or should I call you Hinata-sama?" He came to stand beside her, his back resting heavily on the railing. "Or would it have to be Hyuuga-sama?"

In her peripheral vision she saw the deliberate sweep of his gaze over her person and the way it settled on her face in amusement. "It would be whatever you feel comfortable with." she replied, stiff with unease.

A bark of laughter erupt from him, fading into tight chuckle, then a breathy sigh. "I don't think I'm the one who has to worry about being comfortable."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't think you're hard of hearing Hinata." He said, leaning towards her, a smirk working along his mouth. "You and I seem to have a problem."

She pulled back, her pale eyes wide with trepidation. "I-I have no idea wh-what you're talking about!"

"Right, so this fear you're exuding right now isn't because of me?" He inched closer to her, his hand brushing against her shoulder, moving aside the curtain of damp hair.

She visibly recoiled from his touch, stumbling back from him. "I'm n-not afraid of you."

All traces of humor fell from his face, his eyes narrowing briefly before smoothing back into a frown. "Did anyone ever tell you, you're a bad liar?" He stepped away from her, glancing away, then back at her.

"Listen, I know we've never really been buddy-buddy before. I mean, even in academy we never really talked to each other so I don't expect some instant kind of camaraderie." He turned, leaning into the bridge railing, his eyes fixating on the rain. "I know you've never really had an easy go of it. Especially where your family is concerned. I think a lot of people became aware of that during the Chuunin exams years ago." he stopped, sighing, turning to face her. His dark brown eyes riveting to her paler ones. "I think I'm getting off point. But what I'm trying to say is that I'm very much aware of this hostility you try, very unsuccessfully might I add, to hide and down play every time I'm around.

"Now I can think of a million or so reason for this, so I won't even bother asking for any explanation. But I will ask for you to give me a chance to change that. I know I'm not the easiest person to like, and I _ can_ be an ass sometimes, and speak too frankly…"

Her eyes softened as he continued and she realized something unexpected. While she'd done her best to shun him, he'd been doing his best to gain her acceptance. Both with the same motivation. To fit-in. To belong. To find a place they could call home.

"…I know I'm not the best dressed person in the village and I'm not as talented as Neji or as inspiring as Naruto. And I _know_ my parents are really weird and my mom is overbearing-"

"Their my family." She said, cutting him off before he could continue. "Well more so a family than the one I was born into." A heavy breath escaped from her lips before she turned to face him, her pale orbs boring into his dark brown ones. "I never really felt like I belonged somewhere until we graduated from academy. We worked hard to get where we were at and we knew it was where we belonged.

"Then-then you waltz in, carrying this air of confidence and self importance, and I felt like this family I'd put my heart into, for once, was slipping away from me." She stopped, her gaze drifting off point as she blinked against the sudden wash of fresh tears. "You can't take them from me. I won't let you."

It was almost a revelation watching her. Over the years he'd had a sense of her, but not once had he a sense of this hidden vulnerability she showed him now. Without conscious thought, he draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace.

"I don't want to take your family from you." He whispered. "I just-I needed to do something. For _him_. For both of them." The limpness of her arms receded and tightened around him. He let his eyes drift closed and enjoyed the comfort such a simple action afforded him. What would it take for him to become part this family? It didn't seem right to ask her now, but maybe he could show her he was worthy of it.


	8. Theme: 117 Stumble Title: Fascination

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto._

**A/N: **This one took me a total of three days to finish, and was don't entirely to the song _Fascination_ as performed by Kem. I tried to do it with Nat King Cole, but the mood wasn't right for this story. Also, as a side note, I am currently working on redoing the previous two chapters. I wasn't satisfied with either one of them. So be on the look out for those. Has been edited.

**Every Little Thing**

Fascination

_Theme: #117, Stumble_

Shikamaru stumbled into Kurenai's foyer the front door squeaking closed behind him, announcing his presence to the seemingly empty apartment. He caught himself on the wall before he could topple over in fatigue. Another mission completed and all he had to show for it were clothes reeking of a weeks worth of sweat and body odor and a couple layers of caked on mud. He could go home-knew he very well should, but his mom screeching at how filthy he was and how much dirt he tracked in the house was the last thing he wanted to deal with at the moment.

Luckily, Kurenai-sensei offered to let him crash at her place whenever he needed too. Now, granted, her place wasn't as big as Asuma-sensei's-considering how often Team 8 and Team 10 frequented the small apartment these days, but it was better than the alternative.

He kicked off his sandals, barely catching the light of dusk coming from the other room before a silhouette crossed his vision.

"Oh!" Hinata squeaked in surprise, stopping short of the doorway. Her head tilted to the side, a peek of curiosity crossing her features before she leaned forward, resting against the doorway. A welcoming smile played along her lips. He returned the smile with a lopsided version of his own. "Shikamaru-kun. Did you just get back?"

"Yeah. Just coming from the Hokage's office." Even though he was beyond tired, he couldn't help his roving eyes as they discreetly took in her appearance.

Nothing about her was out of the ordinary. Nothing about her was _ever_ out of the ordinary. Strands of dark hair, a pale complexion with equally pale eyes. The constant faint pink blush spanning her cheeks and crossing the bridge of her nose. Still, the more time he spent with her, the more the ordinary seemed more like the extraordinary.

She nodded, taking in his appearance before asking her next question. "Shower?"

He sighed, rubbing the back of his head., then grimaced as pain shot through his muscles. Sleep was the first thing on his mind, but he very well couldn't crash in the state he was in now. He growled in frustration before answering. "Yeah, if it isn't too troublesome."

Her smile widened before she turned around. "Your not as troublesome as you think, Shikamaru."

He followed behind her, watching the sway and bob of her hair as she walked, refractions of blue showing in the reflected light, and the way it seemed to skim and caress the swell of her hips. The view was almost hypnotizing. Almost, but not quite. He contemplated how soft the skin was there, and how easy it would be to access it just by nudging up her black tank and tugging down the waist of her dark pants. He'd just started fantasizing about the taste of her skin when his legs started to buckle under his weight.

He stumbled forward, his head spinning from lack of much needed sleep. A loud buzzing filled his ears as his vision went dark. When the cobwebs of exhaustion cleared enough he realized he was pinned bodily against the wall. The scent of vanilla and oranges filled his nose. His gaze trailed down until he stared directly at a crown of soft ebony-blue hair.

"Shikamaru-kun," Hinata mumbled, never taking her eyes from the clothed expanse of his chest. And, was it just him, or was she blushing? "I don't think you're going to be able to take a shower by yourself." She cleared her throat a bit before continuing. "Maybe you should get some sleep first."

He groaned, the image of Kurenai going all harpy on him like his mother because his filthy ass crashed on the nice and comfortable futon waiting in the guest room. A shiver worked up his spine as the image lodged in his brain. So much for a peaceful nights sleep. The mere thought of it would give him nightmares. He was sure of it.

He shook his head. "No, I should really take a shower."

"If you're sure." She mumbled, pulling away from him slowly. "Can you stand on your own now?"

He held himself aloft from the wall, testing his balance before taking a step forward. "Yeah, I can make it."

She followed him into the small, confining room, brushing against him as she readied the shower and pulled out a towel and wash cloth, setting them out for him to use.

"I-if you need anything-at all-let me know." She hesitated at the door, glancing at him briefly before making a quick exit, closing the door firmly behind her.

Shikamaru closed his eyes, sighing before he started to systematically disrobe. First the heavy green Chuunin vest slid off his arms to the floor, then he tried to pull off his heavy black shirt but a stab of pain shot up his back and went through his arms. His breath sucked in through clenched teeth as he leaned heavily on the porcelain sink protruding from the wall for support.

He'd made it through the mission without incident, but the weeks worth of abuse was catching up to him. He tried once again to slip the shirt over his head, but only ended up sucking more air. He was going to need help disrobing. Something only Asuma or his Dad had helped with on the _very rare_ occasion. But here his _only_ choice was a small compact girl who turned a distinct shade of pink just from his close proximity.

He feared what would happen if he asked her to help him get undressed. But she was his only choice and what would it really hurt just to ask?

He closed his eyes, gathering his breath, his face warming just before he called out to her. "Hinata!"

It wasn't long before he heard her on the other side of the closed door. "Yes?"

"I-" He paused for a second, taking full note of the heat gathering quickly to his face before he managed to utter another word. "I-I can't…I can't get my shirt off. Can you help me?" He could only imagine the kick Ino would get out of this if she ever heard about it.

"Hai, Shikamaru-kun!" He almost froze in confusion. Not only had she agreed to help, but she almost sounded happy about the prospect. His brow furrowed a bit as she opened the door.

She brushed a strand of hair out of her face as she walked in and gave him a wistful smile. _Farump_, his heart went, doing a weird fluttering skip thing, putting him on edge. "How can I help?" She asked, interlacing her fingers before her.

He blinked for a moment, a bit amazed at how easily she approached the situation. "Um…I can barely move my arms without killing myself, let alone get my shirt off. So, if you would…"

He expected her to just grab the hem of his shirt and rip it over his head. That's how Asuma and his Dad did it. Of course, both got a morbid pleasure from it, torturing young Shinobi being a favored past time for the two of them.

Instead, she walked behind him, her fingers skimming down his back before hooking under the hem of the heavy black shirt, pushing upwards. Easing the article of clothing up without any unnecessary moving or jerking. She gasped, her hands pausing just as they reached his ribs.

"Shikamaru-kun, you have multiple abrasions and bruises." She prodded the area with gentle fingers, his breath sucking in from both the pain and feel of her fingers dancing on his naked back. "You should have gone to the hospital and had these looked at."

The hair on the back of his neck prickled and he turned back to look at her only to see she'd activated her Byakugan. "You've got multiple cuts and scrapes on your arms and legs, but no internal damage." Her eyes relaxed as she released the Kekkei Genkai. She glanced up at him. "You should have gone to the hospital."

He snorted. "Why? There isn't anything wrong with me that I couldn't take care of myself. I may not be a Medic-nin, but I am a Nara. So I'm not completely ignorant in the Medicinal Arts."

A deep red tinted her cheeks and her gaze flickered down, her tongue flickering over her lips. "Gomen, Shikamaru, I didn't mean to imply you were inept." He groaned inwardly. _Smooth, berate the person helping you!_

She didn't say anything else as she continued to ease his shirt over his head. And it would've continued to go smoothly, if not silently, had the collar of his shirt not gotten caught on his hair tie. He was just about to tell her this when he felt the sharp tug on the front of his shirt, followed by a sharp pain in the back of his scalp as his hair tie went the same way as his shirt.

"Ow!" He ground out through clenched teeth when his head finally popped out. His dark brown hair fell in tangles before his eyes then tumbled down to his shoulders. "Troublesome." He muttered under his breath before turning his gaze back on Hinata.

She stood a good foot away from him, his shirt fisted in her hand as she looked at him in an odd manner. Normally, some smartass comment would be filling the silence lingering around them. Then again, _normally_ his heart wouldn't be jumping around in his chest like it was. He wouldn't be leaning forward like he was, his hand tugging on his shirt just to draw her closer.

His head started spinning again, this time having nothing to do with fatigue. Wide pale orbs fixated on his chest again with a medium of surprise, a deep red blush spreading over her cheeks. He brought a hand to her chin, tilting her head back, forcing their eyes to meet. Her tongue flickered over her lips again as he lowered his head. He brushed his lips over hers, gasping as a shock of static sent tingles through him. He was about to try for another go when the front door squeaked open, announcing another's presence, followed by a series of footsteps.

"Hinata!" They heard Kurenai call. Hinata's head snapped to the side, a look of panic working over her features.

"G-gomen Shikamaru-kun." She said, glancing back at him, then looking away again just as quickly. "I…should go if you don't need anymore help."

He actually did need her help, but, given the circumstances, it was probably better if he finished up on his own. He shook his head and watched as she fled the room. When the door closed firmly behind her he closed his eyes and groaned, whether in frustration or disappointment he didn't know.

_Now how did I manage to stumble into this?_

He opened his eyes again, a slow realization dawning on him as he glanced around. "Where's my shirt?"

Ending Note: Credit for the last line goes to SpammishRice. Because you know you would take his shirt with you too.


End file.
